Comparing EPA’s RMP Level 2 to Level 3 Programs

Comparing RMP Level 2 to Level 3 Programs

RMP Program Level 2

RMP Program Level 3

§68.48   Safety information

(a) The owner or operator shall compile and maintain the following up-to-date safety information related to the regulated substances, processes, and equipment:

(1) Material Safety Data Sheets that meet the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.1200(g);

(2) Maximum intended inventory of equipment in which the regulated substances are stored or processed;

(3) Safe upper and lower temperatures, pressures, flows, and compositions;

(4) Equipment specifications; and

(5) Codes and standards used to design, build, and operate the process.

(b) The owner or operator shall ensure that the process is designed in compliance with recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices. Compliance with Federal or state regulations that address industry-specific safe design or with industry-specific design codes and standards may be used to demonstrate compliance with this paragraph.

(c) The owner or operator shall update the safety information if a major change occurs that makes the information inaccurate.

§68.65   Process safety information

(a) In accordance with the schedule set forth in §68.67, the owner or operator shall complete a compilation of written process safety information before conducting any process hazard analysis required by the rule. The compilation of written process safety information is to enable the owner or operator and the employees involved in operating the process to identify and understand the hazards posed by those processes involving regulated substances. This process safety information shall include information pertaining to the hazards of the regulated substances used or produced by the process, information pertaining to the technology of the process, and information pertaining to the equipment in the process.

(b) Information pertaining to the hazards of the regulated substances in the process. This information shall consist of at least the following:

(1) Toxicity information;

(2) Permissible exposure limits;

(3) Physical data;

(4) Reactivity data:

(5) Corrosivity data;

(6) Thermal and chemical stability data; and

(7) Hazardous effects of inadvertent mixing of different materials that could foreseeably occur.

Note to paragraph (b): Material Safety Data Sheets meeting the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.1200(g) may be used to comply with this requirement to the extent they contain the information required by this subparagraph.

(c) Information pertaining to the technology of the process.

(1) Information concerning the technology of the process shall include at least the following:

(i) A block flow diagram or simplified process flow diagram;

(ii) Process chemistry;

(iii) Maximum intended inventory;

(iv) Safe upper and lower limits for such items as temperatures, pressures, flows or compositions; and,

(v) An evaluation of the consequences of deviations.

(2) Where the original technical information no longer exists, such information may be developed in conjunction with the process hazard analysis in sufficient detail to support the analysis.

(d) Information pertaining to the equipment in the process.

(1) Information pertaining to the equipment in the process shall include:

(i) Materials of construction;

(ii) Piping and instrument diagrams (P&ID’s);

(iii) Electrical classification;

(iv) Relief system design and design basis;

(v) Ventilation system design;

(vi) Design codes and standards employed;

(vii) Material and energy balances for processes built after June 21, 1999; and

(viii) Safety systems (e.g. interlocks, detection or suppression systems).

(2) The owner or operator shall document that equipment complies with recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices.

(3) For existing equipment designed and constructed in accordance with codes, standards, or practices that are no longer in general use, the owner or operator shall determine and document that the equipment is designed, maintained, inspected, tested, and operating in a safe manner.

§68.50   Hazard review

(a) The owner or operator shall conduct a review of the hazards associated with the regulated substances, process, and procedures. The review shall identify the following:

(1) The hazards associated with the process and regulated substances;

(2) Opportunities for equipment malfunctions or human errors that could cause an accidental release;

(3) The safeguards used or needed to control the hazards or prevent equipment malfunction or human error; and

(4) Any steps used or needed to detect or monitor releases.

(b) The owner or operator may use checklists developed by persons or organizations knowledgeable about the process and equipment as a guide to conducting the review. For processes designed to meet industry standards or Federal or state design rules, the hazard review shall, by inspecting all equipment, determine whether the process is designed, fabricated, and operated in accordance with the applicable standards or rules.

(c) The owner or operator shall document the results of the review and ensure that problems identified are resolved in a timely manner.

(d) The review shall be updated at least once every five years. The owner or operator shall also conduct reviews whenever a major change in the process occurs; all issues identified in the review shall be resolved before startup of the changed process.

§68.67   Process hazard analysis

(a) The owner or operator shall perform an initial process hazard analysis (hazard evaluation) on processes covered by this part. The process hazard analysis shall be appropriate to the complexity of the process and shall identify, evaluate, and control the hazards involved in the process. The owner or operator shall determine and document the priority order for conducting process hazard analyses based on a rationale which includes such considerations as extent of the process hazards, the number of potentially affected employees, the age of the process, and operating history of the process. The process hazard analysis shall be conducted as soon as possible, but not later than June 21, 1999. Process hazards analyses completed to comply with 29 CFR 1910.119(e) are acceptable as initial process hazards analyses. These process hazard analyses shall be updated and revalidated, based on their completion date.

(b) The owner or operator shall use one or more of the following methodologies that are appropriate to determine and evaluate the hazards of the process being analyzed.

(1) What-If;

(2) Checklist;

(3) What-If/Checklist;

(4) Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP);

(5) Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA);

(6) Fault Tree Analysis; or

(7) An appropriate equivalent methodology.

(c) The process hazard analysis shall address:

(1) The hazards of the process;

(2) The identification of any previous incident which had a likely potential for catastrophic consequences.

(3) Engineering and administrative controls applicable to the hazards and their interrelationships such as appropriate application of detection methodologies to provide early warning of releases. (Acceptable detection methods might include process monitoring and control instrumentation with alarms and detection hardware such as hydrocarbon sensors.);

(4) Consequences of failure of engineering and administrative controls;

(5) Stationary source siting;

(6) Human factors; and

(7) A qualitative evaluation of a range of the possible safety and health effects of the failure of controls.

(d) The process hazard analysis shall be performed by a team with expertise in engineering and process operations, and the team shall include at least one employee who has experience and knowledge specific to the process being evaluated. Also, one member of the team must be knowledgeable in the specific process hazard analysis methodology being used.

(e) The owner or operator shall establish a system to promptly address the team’s findings and recommendations; assure that the recommendations are resolved in a timely manner and that the resolution is documented; document what actions are to be taken; complete actions as soon as possible; develop a written schedule of when these actions are to be completed; communicate the actions to operating, maintenance and other employees whose work assignments are in the process and who may be affected by the recommendations or actions.

(f) At least every five (5) years after the completion of the initial process hazard analysis, the process hazard analysis shall be updated and revalidated by a team meeting the requirements in paragraph (d) of this section, to assure that the process hazard analysis is consistent with the current process. Updated and revalidated process hazard analyses completed to comply with 29 CFR 1910.119(e) are acceptable to meet the requirements of this paragraph.

(g) The owner or operator shall retain process hazards analyses and updates or revalidations for each process covered by this section, as well as the documented resolution of recommendations described in paragraph (e) of this section for the life of the process.

§68.52   Operating procedures.

(a) The owner or operator shall prepare written operating procedures that provide clear instructions or steps for safely conducting activities associated with each covered process consistent with the safety information for that process. Operating procedures or instructions provided by equipment manufacturers or developed by persons or organizations knowledgeable about the process and equipment may be used as a basis for a stationary source’s operating procedures.

(b) The procedures shall address the following:

(1) Initial startup;

(2) Normal operations;

(3) Temporary operations;

(4) Emergency shutdown and operations;

(5) Normal shutdown;

(6) Startup following a normal or emergency shutdown or a major change that requires a hazard review;

(7) Consequences of deviations and steps required to correct or avoid deviations; and

(8) Equipment inspections.

(c) The owner or operator shall ensure that the operating procedures are updated, if necessary, whenever a major change occurs and prior to startup of the changed process.

§68.69   Operating procedures.

(a) The owner or operator shall develop and implement written operating procedures that provide clear instructions for safely conducting activities involved in each covered process consistent with the process safety information and shall address at least the following elements.

(1) Steps for each operating phase:

(i) Initial startup;

(ii) Normal operations;

(iii) Temporary operations;

(iv) Emergency shutdown including the conditions under which emergency shutdown is required, and the assignment of shutdown responsibility to qualified operators to ensure that emergency shutdown is executed in a safe and timely manner.

(v) Emergency operations;

(vi) Normal shutdown; and,

(vii) Startup following a turnaround, or after an emergency shutdown.

(2) Operating limits:

(i) Consequences of deviation; and

(ii) Steps required to correct or avoid deviation.

(3) Safety and health considerations:

(i) Properties of, and hazards presented by, the chemicals used in the process;

(ii) Precautions necessary to prevent exposure, including engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment;

(iii) Control measures to be taken if physical contact or airborne exposure occurs;

(iv) Quality control for raw materials and control of hazardous chemical inventory levels; and,

(v) Any special or unique hazards.

(4) Safety systems and their functions.

(b) Operating procedures shall be readily accessible to employees who work in or maintain a process.

(c) The operating procedures shall be reviewed as often as necessary to assure that they reflect current operating practice, including changes that result from changes in process chemicals, technology, and equipment, and changes to stationary sources. The owner or operator shall certify annually that these operating procedures are current and accurate.

(d) The owner or operator shall develop and implement safe work practices to provide for the control of hazards during operations such as lockout/tag out; confined space entry; opening process equipment or piping; and control over entrance into a stationary source by maintenance, contractor, laboratory, or other support personnel. These safe work practices shall apply to employees and contractor employees.

§68.54   Training.

(a) The owner or operator shall ensure that each employee presently operating a process, and each employee newly assigned to a covered process have been trained or tested competent in the operating procedures provided in §68.52 that pertain to their duties. For those employees already operating a process on June 21, 1999, the owner or operator may certify in writing that the employee has the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to safely carry out the duties and responsibilities as provided in the operating procedures.

(b) Refresher training. Refresher training shall be provided at least every three years, and more often if necessary, to each employee operating a process to ensure that the employee understands and adheres to the current operating procedures of the process. The owner or operator, in consultation with the employees operating the process, shall determine the appropriate frequency of refresher training.

(c) The owner or operator may use training conducted under Federal or state regulations or under industry-specific standards or codes or training conducted by covered process equipment vendors to demonstrate compliance with this section to the extent that the training meets the requirements of this section.

(d) The owner or operator shall ensure that operators are trained in any updated or new procedures prior to startup of a process after a major change.

§68.71   Training.

(a) Initial training. (1) Each employee presently involved in operating a process, and each employee before being involved in operating a newly assigned process shall be trained in an overview of the process and in the operating procedures as specified in §68.69. The training shall include an emphasis on the specific safety and health hazards, emergency operations including shutdown, and safe work practices applicable to the employee’s job tasks.

(2) In lieu of initial training for those employees already involved in operating a process on June 21, 1999 an owner or operator may certify in writing that the employee has the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to safely carry out the duties and responsibilities as specified in the operating procedures.

(b) Refresher training. Refresher training shall be provided at least every three years, and more often if necessary, to each employee involved in operating a process to assure that the employee understands and adheres to the current operating procedures of the process. The owner or operator, in consultation with the employees involved in operating the process, shall determine the appropriate frequency of refresher training.

(c) Training documentation. The owner or operator shall ascertain that each employee involved in operating a process has received and understood the training required by this paragraph. The owner or operator shall prepare a record which contains the identity of the employee, the date of training, and the means used to verify that the employee understood the training.

§68.56   Maintenance.

(a) The owner or operator shall prepare and implement procedures to maintain the on-going mechanical integrity of the process equipment. The owner or operator may use procedures or instructions provided by covered process equipment vendors or procedures in Federal or state regulations or industry codes as the basis for stationary source maintenance procedures.

(b) The owner or operator shall train or cause to be trained each employee involved in maintaining the on-going mechanical integrity of the process. To ensure that the employee can perform the job tasks in a safe manner, each such employee shall be trained in the hazards of the process, in how to avoid or correct unsafe conditions, and in the procedures applicable to the employee’s job tasks.

(c) Any maintenance contractor shall ensure that each contract maintenance employee is trained to perform the maintenance procedures developed under paragraph (a) of this section.

(d) The owner or operator shall perform or cause to be performed inspections and tests on process equipment. Inspection and testing procedures shall follow recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices. The frequency of inspections and tests of process equipment shall be consistent with applicable manufacturers’ recommendations, industry standards or codes, good engineering practices, and prior operating experience.

§68.73   Mechanical integrity.

(a) Application. Paragraphs (b) through (f) of this section apply to the following process equipment:

(1) Pressure vessels and storage tanks;

(2) Piping systems (including piping components such as valves);

(3) Relief and vent systems and devices;

(4) Emergency shutdown systems;

(5) Controls (including monitoring devices and sensors, alarms, and interlocks) and,

(6) Pumps.

(b) Written procedures. The owner or operator shall establish and implement written procedures to maintain the on-going integrity of process equipment.

(c) Training for process maintenance activities. The owner or operator shall train each employee involved in maintaining the on-going integrity of process equipment in an overview of that process and its hazards and in the procedures applicable to the employee’s job tasks to assure that the employee can perform the job tasks in a safe manner.

(d) Inspection and testing. (1) Inspections and tests shall be performed on process equipment.

(2) Inspection and testing procedures shall follow recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices.

(3) The frequency of inspections and tests of process equipment shall be consistent with applicable manufacturers’ recommendations and good engineering practices, and more frequently if determined to be necessary by prior operating experience.

(4) The owner or operator shall document each inspection and test that has been performed on process equipment. The documentation shall identify the date of the inspection or test, the name of the person who performed the inspection or test, the serial number or other identifier of the equipment on which the inspection or test was performed, a description of the inspection or test performed, and the results of the inspection or test.

(e) Equipment deficiencies. The owner or operator shall correct deficiencies in equipment that are outside acceptable limits (defined by the process safety information in §68.65) before further use or in a safe and timely manner when necessary means are taken to assure safe operation.

(f) Quality assurance. (1) In the construction of new plants and equipment, the owner or operator shall assure that equipment as it is fabricated is suitable for the process application for which they will be used.

(2) Appropriate checks and inspections shall be performed to assure that equipment is installed properly and consistent with design specifications and the manufacturer’s instructions.

(3) The owner or operator shall assure that maintenance materials, spare parts and equipment are suitable for the process application for which they will be used.

NOT REQUIRED

§68.75   Management of change.

(a) The owner or operator shall establish and implement written procedures to manage changes (except for “replacements in kind”) to process chemicals, technology, equipment, and procedures; and, changes to stationary sources that affect a covered process.

(b) The procedures shall assure that the following considerations are addressed prior to any change:

(1) The technical basis for the proposed change;

(2) Impact of change on safety and health;

(3) Modifications to operating procedures;

(4) Necessary time period for the change; and,

(5) Authorization requirements for the proposed change.

(c) Employees involved in operating a process and maintenance and contract employees whose job tasks will be affected by a change in the process shall be informed of, and trained in, the change prior to start-up of the process or affected part of the process.

(d) If a change covered by this paragraph results in a change in the process safety information required by §68.65 of this part, such information shall be updated accordingly.

(e) If a change covered by this paragraph results in a change in the operating procedures or practices required by §68.69, such procedures or practices shall be updated accordingly.

NOT REQUIRED

§68.77   Pre-startup review.

(a) The owner or operator shall perform a pre-startup safety review for new stationary sources and for modified stationary sources when the modification is significant enough to require a change in the process safety information.

(b) The pre-startup safety review shall confirm that prior to the introduction of regulated substances to a process:

(1) Construction and equipment is in accordance with design specifications;

(2) Safety, operating, maintenance, and emergency procedures are in place and are adequate;

(3) For new stationary sources, a process hazard analysis has been performed and recommendations have been resolved or implemented before startup; and modified stationary sources meet the requirements contained in management of change, §68.75.

(4) Training of each employee involved in operating a process has been completed.

§68.58   Compliance audits.

(a) The owner or operator shall certify that they have evaluated compliance with the provisions of this subpart at least every three years to verify that the procedures and practices developed under the rule are adequate and are being followed.

(b) The compliance audit shall be conducted by at least one person knowledgeable in the process.

(c) The owner or operator shall develop a report of the audit findings.

(d) The owner or operator shall promptly determine and document an appropriate response to each of the findings of the compliance audit and document that deficiencies have been corrected.

(e) The owner or operator shall retain the two (2) most recent compliance audit reports. This requirement does not apply to any compliance audit report that is more than five years old.

§68.79   Compliance audits.

(a) The owner or operator shall certify that they have evaluated compliance with the provisions of this subpart at least every three years to verify that procedures and practices developed under this subpart are adequate and are being followed.

(b) The compliance audit shall be conducted by at least one person knowledgeable in the process.

(c) A report of the findings of the audit shall be developed.

(d) The owner or operator shall promptly determine and document an appropriate response to each of the findings of the compliance audit, and document that deficiencies have been corrected.

(e) The owner or operator shall retain the two (2) most recent compliance audit reports.

§68.60   Incident investigation.

(a) The owner or operator shall investigate each incident which resulted in, or could reasonably have resulted in a catastrophic release.

(b) An incident investigation shall be initiated as promptly as possible, but not later than 48 hours following the incident.

(c) A summary shall be prepared at the conclusion of the investigation which includes at a minimum:

(1) Date of incident;

(2) Date investigation began;

(3) A description of the incident;

(4) The factors that contributed to the incident; and,

(5) Any recommendations resulting from the investigation.

(d) The owner or operator shall promptly address and resolve the investigation findings and recommendations. Resolutions and corrective actions shall be documented.

(e) The findings shall be reviewed with all affected personnel whose job tasks are affected by the findings.

(f) Investigation summaries shall be retained for five years.

§68.81   Incident investigation.

(a) The owner or operator shall investigate each incident which resulted in, or could reasonably have resulted in a catastrophic release of a regulated substance.

(b) An incident investigation shall be initiated as promptly as possible, but not later than 48 hours following the incident.

(c) An incident investigation team shall be established and consist of at least one person knowledgeable in the process involved, including a contract employee if the incident involved work of the contractor, and other persons with appropriate knowledge and experience to thoroughly investigate and analyze the incident.

(d) A report shall be prepared at the conclusion of the investigation which includes at a minimum:

(1) Date of incident;

(2) Date investigation began;

(3) A description of the incident;

(4) The factors that contributed to the incident; and,

(5) Any recommendations resulting from the investigation.

(e) The owner or operator shall establish a system to promptly address and resolve the incident report findings and recommendations. Resolutions and corrective actions shall be documented.

(f) The report shall be reviewed with all affected personnel whose job tasks are relevant to the incident findings including contract employees where applicable.

(g) Incident investigation reports shall be retained for five years.

NOT REQUIRED

§68.83   Employee participation.

(a) The owner or operator shall develop a written plan of action regarding the implementation of the employee participation required by this section.

(b) The owner or operator shall consult with employees and their representatives on the conduct and development of process hazards analyses and on the development of the other elements of process safety management in this rule.

(c) The owner or operator shall provide to employees and their representatives access to process hazard analyses and to all other information required to be developed under this rule.

NOT REQUIRED

§68.85   Hot work permit.

(a) The owner or operator shall issue a hot work permit for hot work operations conducted on or near a covered process.

(b) The permit shall document that the fire prevention and protection requirements in 29 CFR 1910.252(a) have been implemented prior to beginning the hot work operations; it shall indicate the date(s) authorized for hot work; and identify the object on which hot work is to be performed. The permit shall be kept on file until completion of the hot work operations.

NOT REQUIRED

§68.87   Contractors.

(a) Application. This section applies to contractors performing maintenance or repair, turnaround, major renovation, or specialty work on or adjacent to a covered process. It does not apply to contractors providing incidental services which do not influence process safety, such as janitorial work, food and drink services, laundry, delivery or other supply services.

(b) Owner or operator responsibilities. (1) The owner or operator, when selecting a contractor, shall obtain and evaluate information regarding the contract owner or operator’s safety performance and programs.

(2) The owner or operator shall inform contract owner or operator of the known potential fire, explosion, or toxic release hazards related to the contractor’s work and the process.

(3) The owner or operator shall explain to the contract owner or operator the applicable provisions of subpart E of this part.

(4) The owner or operator shall develop and implement safe work practices consistent with §68.69(d), to control the entrance, presence, and exit of the contract owner or operator and contract employees in covered process areas.

(5) The owner or operator shall periodically evaluate the performance of the contract owner or operator in fulfilling their obligations as specified in paragraph (c) of this section.

(c) Contract owner or operator responsibilities. (1) The contract owner or operator shall assure that each contract employee is trained in the work practices necessary to safely perform his/her job.

(2) The contract owner or operator shall assure that each contract employee is instructed in the known potential fire, explosion, or toxic release hazards related to his/her job and the process, and the applicable provisions of the emergency action plan.

(3) The contract owner or operator shall document that each contract employee has received and understood the training required by this section. The contract owner or operator shall prepare a record which contains the identity of the contract employee, the date of training, and the means used to verify that the employee understood the training.

(4) The contract owner or operator shall assure that each contract employee follows the safety rules of the stationary source including the safe work practices required by §68.69(d).

(5) The contract owner or operator shall advise the owner or operator of any unique hazards presented by the contract owner or operator’s work, or of any hazards found by the contract owner or operator’s work.

Process not eligible

for program 1 or 3

Process is subject to OSHA

PSM (29 CFR 1910.119)

Process is SIC code 2611, 2812, 2819,

2821, 2865, 2869, 2873, 2879, or 2911

No public receptors in

worst-case circle

Emergency response coordinated

with local responders

Develop plan and program